Download 6th grade Chapter 11 review

Chapter 11 Review
Mr. Klein
Italy and Rome
Italy is centrally located in Europe and the Mediterranean.
It’s location, sunny, mild climate and fertile farmland have attracted
settlers. Ability to grow plenty of food supported a large population.
The Alps at the top of Italian peninsula kept Italy slightly isolated and
the Apennine's in the middle of Italy run North and South down the
peninsula.
Rome was founded 15 miles up the Tiber river. Rome’s distance from
the Mediterranean helped protect from pirates and the seven hills of
Rome helped make it easy to defend.
The founding of Rome lies with the myth of the Trojan Aeneas who
settled at Rome after the Trojan war and married a local princess.
Founding Rome and Influences
Another myth is that the twin boys Romulus and Remus were left
by the Tiber after they were born and kept alive by a wolf before a
shepherd and wife raised them.
Later they would found the city until in argument on where to
build the city caused Romulus to murder Remus in a rage.
City was founded in 753 B.C. in the area of Italy known as Latium.
Greeks influenced the crops they grew, architecture and art.
Etruscans to the north influenced Roman religion, government,
clothing and most importantly the military of Rome.
In 509 B.C. Rome threw out the last Etruscan king and established
a Republic. A type of government where leaders are elected.
Rome constantly fought against their neighbors and slowly gained
more territory.
Roman army and rule
At first the Romans fought like the Greeks but over
time the phalanx evolved to the use of legions.
Legion was quicker and more flexible then the phalanx.
Roman soldiers were also well armed and very
disciplined.
After conquering an area Rome would treat conquered
people fairly and became allies of the Romans. They
paid taxes and served in the military.
Rome’s policies were effective and the Republic grew
stronger and more unified.
Roman Government
Rome’s government reflected the division within its society.
Patricians were Rome’s ruling class and were wealthy land owners.
Most Romans were plebeians who were not as wealthy and were
usually artisans, shopkeepers or small farmers.
Both groups had to pay taxes, fight in military and vote.
At the beginning only patricians could serve in political offices.
Republic set up in three branches: one makes the laws, second ran daily
affairs of government and third acted as judges.
Two consuls were elected every year to head the government and lead the
army.
The senate was Rome’s legislature and they debated foreign policy and
proposed laws.
Conflict between classes
Plebeians grew frustrated and wanted more power.
They held a strike in 494 B.C. and the patricians allowed them to
have a Council of Plebs that elected Tribunes that served in the
Senate and voiced their concerns. Tribunes could also veto.
Eventually plebeians could become consul and the Council of Plebs
was given the ability to pass laws for all Romans.
In times of crisis Romans would elect a dictator to take over the
government. One of the most famous was Cincinnatus for
performing his duty, saving his country and laying down his power.
He has been admired for his civic duty ever since.
Plebeians also pushed for laws to be written down and the Twelve
Tables became the law of Rome. Focused on everybody being
treated equally under the law.
Punic Wars
When Rome had conquered most of Italy they looked overseas to
continue expanding and this brought them into conflict with Carthage.
Carthage controlled most of the area around the Mediterranean in
North Africa and the islands between Africa and Italy.
Rome wins the first war fighting in Sicily and large naval battles. The
war brings Rome to the brink but after 23 years Rome finally wins.
The second war is brought on by the Carthaginian general Hannibal.
Hannibal takes the war to Italy and wins amazing victories in Italy and
manages to separate many of Rome’s allies from Rome.
Scipio Africanis rises to power and captures Spain before taking the
war to Africa and defeating Hannibal at the battle of Zama.
Rome pushes for the third war and destroys Carthage in 146 B.C.
Problems with the Republic
Success in wars brought a lot of money and slaves into the Republic. At
the same time many of the middle class were the soldiers and were
away from home for long periods of time.
The rich bought up all of the land from these families and created vast
estates of farms called latifundia and bought slaves to work the land.
This created large populations of urban poor and a lot of resentment
between the rich and poor.
Rome gave them “bread and circuses” to keep them happy.
Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus were leaders that took up the cause of
these urban poor. The Senate led an effort against these brothers that
led to both of their murders.
Gaius Marius – is a Roman general that reformed the army and allowed
all of these urban poor into the military.
Roman Military & Civil War
Marius wins battles against huge armies of migrating Germanic tribes
with his army that is made up of poor soldiers.
He serves an unprecedented 7 consulships and fights the first civil war
against Lucius Cornelius Sulla.
This is the beginning of soldiers becoming more loyal to the generals
than to Rome.
The soldiers rely on their generals for their future success and Roman
armies begin to fight each other.
Marius is supported by the people and Sulla is supported by Senate
because Marius is a “new man” and Sulla is patrician.
Sulla is the first Roman to march an army on Rome. He won the civil
war, served as dictator in Rome, and made reforms to strengthen the
power of the Senate.
Gaius Julius Caesar
After Sulla laid down his power the Senate worked well and several
different men rose to power.
Pompey won military victories and became very popular with the
people.
Crassus was the wealthiest man of Rome and is famous for defeating
Spartacus.
Both of these men hated each other. But Caesar was able to negotiate
between the two as a close friend of Crassus and marrying his daughter
to Pompey.
This created the first triumvirate with Pompey, Crassus and Caesar in
power and led to the rise of Caesar.
He became governor of Gaul and spent the next 8 years conquering
Gaul including his great victory at Alesia that ended the war.
Republic to Empire
After Caesar’s death civil war soon broke out again. Brutus and Cassius
as well as the other assassins fought against Marc Antony, Marcus
Lepidus, who served as generals under Caesar, and his adopted son
Gaius Octavian.
They formed the second triumvirate and defeated the assassins at the
battle of Philippi.
After the victory the empire was divided between Octavian and Antony
with Octavian taking Rome and the west and Antony taking the wealthy
eastern territories.
Antony soon allied himself with and married Queen Cleopatra of Egypt.
He was married to Octavian’s sister Octavia at the time and this led to
the last civil war in the republican era.
Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra at the battle of Actium and the
couple soon after committed suicide in Egypt.
Roman Empire
Octavian later known as Augustus set about making reforms. He
created a professional Roman army and a special unit of bodyguards
known as the Praetorian Guard.
He also established Rome’s borders, built many public temples and
buildings, used proconsuls to govern territories, and made tax collectors
government officials with a salary.
After Augustus came some good but mostly bad emperors. With some,
like Nero and Caligula being insane emperors who would be assassinated
Rome would often be at war on the frontier or fighting civil wars.
In the early 100’s A.D. Rome was led by the “five Good Emperors” of
Rome. Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius were
among the most capable emperors and did not abuse their power.
The Roman empire was one of the biggest in largest in history with its
land area being almost equal to the United States.